Forum

On Friday 21st June Ireland Under 19's play an MCC XI at Muckamore . Starting at 11am , 50 overs a side. Spectators are always made welcome at Moylena.

Some excellent points from Kyle and Davy and there's nothing negative about discussing the pros and cons of any aspect of our cricket. I attended the NCU AGM last year for the first time in a few years and was very disappointed at the lack of debate. Most of the issues were signed, sealed and delivered before the meeting. The fact is players have been leaving the game for years but their places are filled by another generation. I looked at a photo of the 1981 North Down 1st and 2nd XI teams in the Senior Cup book and with the benefit of hindsight looked at how many of these players stayed in the game or dropped out after playing senior cricket. It was roughly 50-50. At least 50% of the 'drop outs' went to golf and I don't think any of the others would cite spending more time with the family as a reason. On the plus side the Shields brothers Ian and Don, Robin Haire and Billy Dale were great examples of longevity and have given local cricket tremendous service. Although I'm looking at 30 years ago I don't think a lot has changed so I suppose it is different strokes for different folks. If kids in their late teens leave the game for girlfriends they need a pep talk from the old bull who told the young bull to take his time and he can have all the cows he wanted. I think there are a few old bulls around our clubs who could offer the same advice.

Al C:

Thanks, I'll catch up with you at a game soon.

Andy Kennedy:

Here's one I prepared early for you to mull over before arriving back to 'sunny wee Norn-Iron'

I am Zeus !

I am Zeus God of gods,
the omnipotent one,
all immortal and mere mortal
bow in reverence,
to my almighty power, awesome!

I could make you a king,
ruler, over land and sea,
or I could take it all away again,
just as easily!

I can crush a mountain,
just as you a fly,
or send a multitude of shooting stars,
across the midnight sky!

If my desire a princess royal
would relinquish,
a much coveted, cherished, chastity
There really is no limit,
to my ability!

But you tiny, insignificant, mortal man
I am envious of thee
as what you know, I know not off
and it burdens me!

Why doth the lady's cheeks glow red,
when you pass each other by?
Or when you gently clasp her hand,
why that sparkle in her eye?

If this is what you know as Love
then I must decree!
It has more power than I above,
for it is unconditional
and esteemed by parity!

Kyle,
Even 20 years ago there were still a LOT of players dropping out of the game when they went to university, started work, discovered drink and women and other such vices, some then find their employment situation changing and return to the game, some dont.
Quite a few after playing senior level for a number of years then decide to devote more time to their family and with more and more two day weekends this I fear will only get worse, the NCU AGM has cut the number of overs at Senior three level and at all but Junior one in the hope that this would have encouraged more players to continue playing or start playing, it is an experiment that I feel has failed.
The idea of only requiring four bowlers will IMHO only lead to more unsatisfied players as if two or three of the front line bowlers are also all-rounders......
Possible solutions that I feel are worth trying, some I have already stated, make the grounds more family friendly, a bouncy castle or small play park for the children, where space provides, a net for the aspiring cricketer, or the children of those playing (I can recall many a time sitting at the lawn watching an Irish International bowling and his son pestering his mother to bowl to him, last saturday his father was bringing drinks onto the field as his son was fielding).
If players are saying get ready as WE are heading to the cricket, rather than I am away to the cricket, it will lead to more people staying involved in their clubs after they quit, and if their childrens memories of their childhood are of the great days at the cricket, then progress through Under 12's Graham Cup sides and then into the thirds etc...
I also think that CI or the NCU should work more closely with local councils to improve the facilities (squares, wickets and outfields) of council maintained pitches, as a lot of junior cricket is played on council pitches, and if third fourth and fifth's are playing on better wickets then it will be easier for them to progress into second 11 and first eleven, heck, it might even encourage them to continue to play the game.

So for all the negative and complaining lads where's the solutions? Surely between us we can come up with something better than more reductions in overs, which I don't buy to start with as many of our guys down the leagues would love more gametime, to stop the apparent drain in players?

I don't think it's too many overs, we're losing players at 17/18. if you're lucky out of a clubs u17s team there's 3 or 4 still playing cricket when they hit 20. How many of these guys have gave up when they hit a brick wall due to a lack of gametime, clubs having a rotation policy for these guys meaning they play decent standard cricket once every 2 or 3 weeks if they're lucky, there an option there to make some of the extra competitions a case of having 6 or 7 players u21 or something along those lines, decent level for those making the step?

Even when they do make a decent breakthrough the guys at the top are much less willing to drop down a league or two and just quit instead, I'm still too young to have this issue yet, but surely there are many guys out there in this situation, but I'm sure some of the older guys could tell us why they played on when they dropped down or why they dropped out.

As for CricketIreland telling us more people are playing the game, I think there is still an enthusiasm for cricket in many local schools, certainly I've tried to get in to coach in a few more this season and there's plenty of young people wanting to play, both girls and boys! We've averaged 20 girls from 1st-3rd year at school practices who weren't playing before, numbers are up, it's just a matter of how we interpret them and work with where they are.

Also, let's look at the fact that CricketIreland are employing Nigel Jones to develop cricket in the area. He seems more than happy to help where he can if clubs ask for it, he's not going to change your overs played, but he's there to help.

Overall, we have more competition for players from other things than we did 20 years ago, a change in overs isn't going to bring back those that we've lost, we need to look at bringing through what youth there is to come through in future and not letting them drop away so easily

4 bowlers, quarter of the overs each.....ive heard it all now, why go against what all limited overs cricket throught the world adheres to.

Caleb:
I have your new umpires coat, I've had it for about two years but never managed to track you down to deliver it.

Was in Santorini and learned about the Caldera that was formed after the volcano that erupted 1600BC - that's where cauldron comes - as in pot that maybe was't stirred here for a while!!

What with Knossos Palace, the birth lace of Zeus and the home of civilisation there is no better place to sit back and contemplate reality Clarence!!

People keep talking about earlier starts, fewer overs etc etc, but the problem is too many competitions, meaning too many saturday and sunday weekends.
If players were safe in the knowledge that after a game on the Saturday they would have saturday evening and all day Sunday to spend with their nearest and dearest, they would be more willing to don the whites on a Saturday.
The reduction of overs in junior cricket from 45 to 35 or 30 has not seen any increase in the numbers playing the game, so I dont think it will have any effect on first elevens.
One cup competition per side, and matches rained off o be played during the week as 20 overs per side, of even 15 from the second week in August

The pessimism on here regarding the aspirations for local cricket is rather disturbing to say the least!

Have folk forgotten already the beautiful weather last week and did they fail to observe during all that glorious warm sunshine, that it brought everyone out to their local cricket clubs to enjoy practicing, playing, watching and generally socialize throughout the entire week?

Deary me! Some of the below posts remind me of a line in the theme tune of a repeat comedy series from 30 odd years ago I watched last night...

'The only thing we have to look forward to is the past' !

One possible improvement I would suggest for 3rd/4th teams, even possibly 2nds if they are playing 40 overs. Minimum 4 bowlers, very hard to see 5 quality bowlers in the senior sections never mind down the club. Would be easier for teams that are hard pressed to get out 11 with 5 bowlers, would also create more of a challenge to batting sides.

Jeff
Just to back up what you are saying I also feel that an introduction of the fielding circle at U13 level upwards in youth cricket would have its merits (captaincy / improving bowling one side of wicket / batsmanship emphasis on placement etc). All of this maybe will sound petty to some forumites yet after over 10 yrs of youth coaching I can testify that good habits learned early on stick! Ps takes 2 mins to throw out a few discs...

Andy sounds like you are "up the Crete" and in a bad mood. Loosen up big man and enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine. As for overs reduction we've heard it all before-good points for and good points against. At the end of the day there has to be a decision to allow us to go forward and it is made by the clubs themselves at the NCU AGM. There are some similarities with rugby but we are in control of our own destiny within the NCU not in professional national leagues with no money to support it. The rugby and football business models are seriously flawed unless of course you are Linfield!

The debate about reduction in overs is only a further indication of the continued decline in interest in cricket. There has been the facility in junior cricket to reduce overs and there is little evidence that this has stemmed the decline
Perhaps we are fast reaching the point where we accept that club cricket, like club rugby, is in terminal melt down and we just keeping with fewer and fewer teams until the last to leave turns out the lights